In his previous life, Kirishima had always attracted attention.
At the very least, that had been true ever since he turned pro and became a world champion.
In Atlanta, he was practically the only world champion around—as well as one of the rare five-weight lineal champions in the world. It was only natural, then, that paparazzi trailed him wherever he went.
After a long time away from the spotlight, Kirishima felt that familiar buzz once again.
"Kirishima, what did it feel like to rush into a house with a villain inside?"
"Weren't you scared? Most people would have run," another asked.
"Did you ever think about calling a hero?"
The reporters—who had somehow learned his name and even followed him to the hospital for a checkup—were even more numerous than they had been at Disneyland. They swarmed him without hesitation, bombarding him with questions from every direction. Kirishima could feel his stomach knotting with each inquiry.
Fifteen years into his new life, he was no stranger to the press's relentless aggression. Drawing on his past experience, however, he managed to answer as gracefully as possible. He had even instructed Yui to stay out of sight until the interviews were over so as not to draw unwanted attention to the true victim.
"When I rushed at the villain, I wasn't thinking straight—I was in such a hurry that I didn't even consider calling a hero; my body moved on instinct. Of course, I was scared, but not of the villain. I was terrified that I might be too late to save my sister and my friend."
Honestly, the thought of taking on a villain got my heart racing—but there's no need to mention that.
It was inevitable that the media would turn this into a big story. So, Kirishima decided to at least cultivate a positive image by handling the reporters as gently as possible. Even if his slightly curt manner could be excused as the reaction of a teenager who had just survived a major ordeal, he knew all too well that the world was full of people whose character was rotten even if they weren't villains. Countless fallen celebrities were living proof of how troublesome a vengeful reporter could be.
Of course, when the reporters swarmed to the hospital like hyenas on rotten meat—leaving the clearly exhausted victim Kirishima with little chance to rest—he couldn’t really be said to consider them proper journalists.
"Yui! Kirishima! Are you all right?"
"Oh, no," came the reply.
As he fielded questions, Kirishima spotted Director Ooyama pushing his way through the crowd and stepping into view. He pressed a hand to his forehead in exasperation.
He had tried to keep ordinary bystanders out of the limelight, and now Ooyama had upended those plans by showing his face. What was he supposed to do now?
Since things had already taken this turn, Kirishima decided to use the opportunity to promote Ooyama’s dojo and martial art.
"Director! Over here."
"Huh? You're safe! But where's Yui?"
"I told Yui to stay hidden until the interviews were over so the reporters wouldn't notice her. I'd hoped the hospital would clear these people out, but it doesn't seem like they plan to do that. I was actually hoping you'd show up later as well, Director—but now that you've caught their attention, why not give your dojo a little publicity?"
"Huh?"
Kirishima pulled Ooyama into a quick, whispered embrace.
The reporters eagerly snapped photos of the moment, certain that this touching display would soon make headlines.
Shortly afterward, Kirishima credited his diligent martial arts training for his victory over the villain—and he lavished praise on Ooyama. Although Ooyama appeared somewhat flustered by the unexpected turn of events, the reporters hardly cared; their sole focus was on securing content that would rake in clicks.
After a little over an hour, the press finally began to disperse.
With a sigh, Kirishima led Ooyama to a side room.
"Dad!"
"Yui! Let me check you over—are you hurt anywhere? My daughter, you must have been terrified!"
"I was a little scared, but I survived because my brother came so quickly!"
After watching the heartwarming reunion, Kirishima headed upstairs to see Mio and Inoue. Although the tests had shown no serious issues for the mother and daughter, they had decided to remain under observation for the day.
Kirishima, along with Yui and Ooyama's family, knocked on the hospital room door. Evidently well off, the pair were sharing a private room for two. When the door opened at their invitation, they found a sturdy, dignified man with Mio and her mother inside.
The man sprang to his feet and extended his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Mio’s father."
"Hello. I'm Kirishima Eijiro."
"Thank you. I heard you protected my wife and daughter. If it hadn't been for you..."
No sooner had they exchanged greetings than the man bowed deeply. Kirishima was visibly taken aback.
After living fifteen years as a Japanese man, he found it deeply uncomfortable to see an adult bow so low. Hastily, he straightened the man and said, "No, please stand up. I did only what anyone should do. Honestly, it's a bit embarrassing for me."
"Even so, without you, who knows what might have happened to Mio and Akane? The thought alone makes me shudder."
Kirishima struggled to manage the man's relentless gratitude without looking awkward. When he glanced toward Mio and her mother, they offered only gentle smiles.
"Honey, that's enough. You should leave some room for us to express our thanks, too."
"Ah, was I overdoing it?"
"Then let me say it properly. Kirishima, thank you so much for saving Yui and me. I won't ever forget this."
"Me too! I'll never forget that you saved Mio. If you ever need anything, just call—I’ll come running as fast as I can."
Overwhelmed by the cascade of gratitude, Kirishima scratched his cheek in mild embarrassment. Having moved quickly to protect Yui, he now felt oddly self-conscious about receiving thanks in return.
At that moment, Ooyama stepped forward. "Hello. I'm Yui's father, Ooyama Tadayoshi. I'm sorry that this happened while you were out with my daughter and Kirishima today."
"Not at all. Yui and Kirishima were already headed to Disneyland. In fact, having both of them there meant extra protection."
"That's right. Kirishima saved us too, but the police officer said that Yui was the one protecting us before he arrived!"
"No, I just got lucky that the clown didn't use his Quirk on me. I didn't really do anything."
When the gratitude shifted toward Yui, she looked flustered and tried to downplay it. "No, Yui really did protect us! The villain said so too. He even mentioned that he shouldn't have just stood by while Yui held us back."
"That's not true..."
"It is true! Yui was like a hero today—even though I didn't see it myself!"
Everyone beamed at Yui as she blushed and fidgeted with embarrassment.
"Yui, even though today's plans got a bit derailed, let's go to Disneyland together again sometime."
"Yeah. I'd like that."
"And next time we'll start with Pirates of the Caribbean, right?"
"Of course."
The two children exchanged shy smiles, and the adults finally began to feel as though the chaotic, dangerous day was drawing to a close.
"Kirishima, here's my contact information. Please take it. If you ever need help, don't hesitate to call—I promise I'll do everything I can to assist."
"Uh, I didn't do it expecting anything in return anyway."
"You're still young, Kirishima. In situations like these, it's best to accept help. You never know what life might throw at you. While our family might not be able to help you catch villains, we can certainly help if you run into other kinds of trouble. So please, take it. The Inoue family will always be a strong supporter of you. Right, honey?"
"Huh? Oh, right. Of course—we should support the friend who saved my wife and daughter."
"If you put it that way..."
Kirishima accepted the business card Mio’s father offered with polite gratitude. Printed on it were the name of a renowned company he recognized—and the name Inoue Takahashi.
"This is my direct line. If you ever need help, please call without hesitation."
"Hey, save my number too!"
Kirishima entered his number into Mio’s phone as she held it out, then scratched his chin in mild amusement. The overwhelming generosity was a bit much to take, but seeing everyone smile also filled him with pride. If he hadn't subdued the villain as soon as he recognized the danger, he might never have witnessed a moment like this. It reminded him, all over again, that he had protected people.
Meanwhile, Akane had her own thoughts. She hadn't seen Kirishima fight with her own eyes, but at only fifteen he had taken down a villain—a villain with a powerful mental Quirk, paired with another who possessed a large and strong heteromorphic Quirk. The kid was clearly destined for greatness. Offering him her contact information was not only a gesture of gratitude but also an investment in the future. Building a connection with someone who might grow into a top-ten hero was an opportunity not to be missed.
"I'm sure you both had a rough day too, and we probably overstayed our welcome," someone observed.
"Oh, not at all. If you're part of Kirishima and Yui's family, you can stay as long as you like," replied another.
"No, really—you should get some rest. We'll be on our way now."
"Ah, then I'll be in touch later. I also have something I need to discuss with Yui's father."
"Something with me? Understood. I'll see you later then—we'd better get going too."
"Yes. Please take care. Kirishima, thank you again for saving Yui today."
"Not at all. As I've said, it was only natural. Until next time—goodbye."
"Goodbye."
After exchanging farewells and leaving the hospital room, Kirishima sighed deeply.
"Bro, what's wrong?"
"Ah, it's just… awkward. I still don't know how to handle people who offer such one-sided kindness."
"Just do what feels right."
"That's exactly why it's so hard. Honestly, dealing with villains who show their hostility is easier—you can just beat them up."
"Honestly, I've always known you were a bit of an oddball ever since you started training in martial arts, but you really are something else."
"If you'd known how odd I am, you might have helped me out a little more."
"The one who helped those people was you, and the one receiving their thanks is also you. What exactly do you expect me to do? To say that what you did was no big deal would only diminish the value of the people you saved."
"Huh. Now that I think about it, you're right."
"You little brat. Usually you act like a slick guy in his forties, but in moments like this you really do act your age."
"Hmm... do I really look forty?"
"No! You're handsome and cool—you look more like you're in your thirties."
"Hey now..."
Kirishima chuckled at Yui's ambiguous remark, unsure whether it was a compliment or a tease. The three of them eventually left the hospital and headed home in Ooyama's old, worn car.
Seated in that creaking vehicle, Kirishima felt like a young man returning to his beloved hometown after a long, harrowing journey. A song he had cherished in his previous life drifted into his mind, and he began humming softly.
"Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong... West Virginia~"
"Bro, what song is that? And where on earth is West Virginia?"
"Hmm... it's a tune about a homesick man longing for home. West Virginia is a region in the United States. After going through today, it just came to mind. The melody is nice, isn't it?"
"Yeah, there's something comforting about it."
In truth, John Denver—the singer of the song—was not from West Virginia at all, but what did that matter? When a song is good, that's all that counts.
As Kirishima's difficult day faded away, the gentle strains of the melody filled the car, carrying him quietly into the night.
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